These were introduced by ICU in 2008, to support the management of increasingly complex patients in the ward environment. It provides a pathway for early identification of critically ill patients, and timely appropriate management during patient instability.

Intensive Care Outreach enables early referral to specialist advice from ICU to support the management of these patients until stabilisation on the ward, or timely transfer to the ICU.

The ICU Outreach team consists of both an Intensive Care Outreach Nurse and Registrar to review patients, in consultation with an ICU Specialist. This service is available to all patients in Christchurch Hospital including Child Health and Christchurch Women's Hospital.